Immersive Storytelling Resources

Immersive storytelling technology is quickly spreading around the world and presenting uncharted territory for new and emerging public diplomacy practices.

CPD professional training offers "Virtual Reality and Immersive Storytelling for Public Diplomacy," a cutting-edge course taught by Robert Hernandez, CPD Faculty Fellow, USC Annenberg Associate Professor of Professional Practice, and founder of JOVRNALISM, an immersive journalism storytelling platform utilizing 360-degree video and other emerging virtual reality (VR) technologies.

Immersive Storytelling Toolkit

Hernandez suggests downloading and using the following apps to consume immersive content:

• YouTube (Android | iOS)
• Snapchat (Android | iOS)
• NYT (Android | iOS)
• JOVRNALISM (Android | iOS)

Click here or the image below to view Robert Hernandez's collection of tips, links and resources for immersive storytelling technology.

In 2018, Hernandez partnered with CPD to launch CPD 360, an initiative exploring the opportunities VR presents for the future of public diplomacy storytelling. The collaboration garnered national media coverage of the team's immersive storytelling about sports diplomacy at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, and most recently traveled to "Broadway's Secret Laboratory" in NYC for a 360-degree sneak peek of rehearsals for the musical Soft Power.

Hernandez teaches the following about immersive storytelling technology:

Virtual Reality (VR)

Sometimes referred to as immersive multimedia, is a computer-simulated environment that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world or imagined worlds. VR can recreate sensory experiences, which include virtual taste, sight, smell, sound and touch. 

Check out this VR video produced by CPD 360 during the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea:

Augmented Reality (AR)

A live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented (or supplemented) by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, graphics or GPS data.

Check out this AR video created by a Summer Institute Class of 2019 participant, who used a smartphone to superimpose a dancing avatar into the real-live classroom space, during a hands-on session of Hernandez's immersive storytelling course:

To view CPD immersive storytelling content, please visit CPD 360 here.